Fiber-cleaning machine.



M. G. MoLANE.

FIBER CLEANING MACHINE. APPLIGAT'ION FILED APR. 21, 1909 984,689.Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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WITNESSES- INVENTOR ATTORNE M. G. MoLANE.

FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 21; 1 909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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MICHAEL G. MCLANE, OF SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO I. H. FRANK,

D. G. BEEBE, AND J". '1. MADDY, TRADING UNDER THE FIRM-NAME OF MGLANEHEMP MACHINE COMPANY, OF ZAMBOANGA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

FIBER-CLEANING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL G. MCLANE,

a citizen of the United States residin in as hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a plan of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a section on line V-V, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectionon XX, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail of a clamp bar. Fig. 6 is a detail ofthe rear scraper. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the releasing wedgearm.

A represents a suitable framework on which are mounted the sprockets 2supporting a pair of endless chains 3. These chains have hooks 4: atsuitable intervals to receive the holders or clamp bars 5 by which thestalks to be treated are drawn through the ing clamp-fashion to grip theplants, and

being held together by suitable means, as the spring clip 7. These clampbars 5 are of a length a little greater than the distance between thechains 3, and it is the end portions of these bars that are adapted tobe engaged by the hooks 4. Prior, however, to engaging the raw materialin these clamps, it is desired that about six or eight inches, more orless, of the stalks be cleaned, so that this cleaned portion may becaught in the clamps, and then when the stalks have passed through themachine the whole plant will be cleaned, leaving practically none of thepulp adhering to the fiber. To accomplish this preliminary cleaning Imay employ any well known mechanism suitable to the purpose. Forinstance, I may use the scrapers 8 and 9 suitably mounted on theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 21, 1909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911. Serial No. 491,334.

lower scraper, 8, may be stationary, while the upper scraper is pivotedat 11, and is operated by a suitable handle, 12, to open it away fromthe scraper 8 against the tension of a spring 13, when it is desired toinsert the end of the stalk or bunch of stalks in between the scrapers.

A carrier 14, on the frame 10, carries a clamp 15, which is operated bya rack and pinion 16, so that the clamp may be pressed down to grip thestalk or bunch of stalks and pull the ends from between the scrapers 89when the carrier 14, is moved away from the scrapers. This movement ofthe fibrous stalks represented at 17 past the closed scrapers 89 acts tostrip off the wood and pulp and leave the fibrous cleaned ends of thestalks ready to be gripped by a clamp bar 5. The cleaned ends of thestalks are next placed in a clamp bar 5, and the latter is placed in themachine and in front of a pair of hooks 4, at the point indicated by thearrow 6, Fig. 2. The chain carrier 3 moves continuously, and in thetravel of the carriera clamp bar 5 with its load is moved first under apresser-foot 2S and over the revolving heaters 29, thence past otherbeaters and combs 30 and between a pair of scraping knives 31-32, thenceback around the machine, and finally discharged by means of the wedgearms 33; all as will be hereafter described.

In order to pass a clamp bar 5 beneath the presser-foot 28 and betweenthe scrapers 31-32, the following mechanism is em ployed: Thepresser-foot, 28, is carried by suitable sliding stems, 34: the springs,35, on these stems tending to press the presserfoot downward intojuxtaposition with the boaters, 29, which revolve in a directionopposite to the travel of the upper stretch of the carriers, 3. Thesliding stems, 34, are

at the sides of the presser-foot and their upper ends pass through a topbar, 341, Fig.

3. At the center of the presser-foot there is pivotally attached a link,34, which link extendsthrough the top bar, 34:", and has its upper endpivoted to a slotted lever, 36, by which the presser-foot is raised. Theupper end of lever 36 connects by a link 38 with an arm 39 of a pivotedlocking bar 40 pivoted at 41. \Vith the parts in the position shown inFig. 2, the locking bar 10 is swung in over the top of the presser 28 tohold the latter down (after a clamp bar 5 is passed) and keep the fiberand stalks in close contact with the boaters 29, so that the latter willclean the fiber. The front end of the lever 36 depends between thechains 3 into the path of an approaching bar 5, so that when the clampbar strikes this pendent arm the lever will be rocked and thepresser-foot temporarily lifted so as to allow the clamp bar to passunderneath; but as soon as this bar is passed, the presser-footdescendsunder the action of the springs 35, so that the heaters 29 will cleanthe stalks. A somewhat similar arrangement is employed to lift thescraper 32 and allow a clamp bar 5 to pass. In this case, levers 41 onshaft 42 fulcrumed in the frame, have their ends depending into the pathof the clamp bar. In the center of the shaft is another lever secured tosaid shaft and connected by a link 43 with the swinging scraper 32; thespring 43 acting to throw the scraper and levers back into normalposition. The lower scraper 31 is made adjustable by suitable means, asthe set screws 44.

The release of a clamp bar from the carrier is effected in the followingmanner: The clamp bar holding the fiber, having passed through thevarious heaters, ,combers and scrapers, is always automatically releasedfrom the carrier. As before described, the clamp bars are of a length alittle greater than the distance between the chains 3, and it is the endportions of these bars that are adapted to be engaged by the hooks orcarriers 4. As the carrier containing the clamp member 5 nears the endof its travel, and just before said carrier is released it depresses twowed 'e arms 33. The depression of the wedge arms forces the wedges45between the stationary frame 46 and the chains, causing the chains tospread. This spreading action of the chains releases the hooks 4 fromthe ends of the clamp bar 5, and the latter remains stationary on theframe in front of the stops 47 until the bar and its cleaned fiber areremoved by an operator. The operation is repeated for each bar and itsbunch of stalks.

Any suitable drivin connections between one or the other of the shaftsof the sprockets 2 may be employed to operate the revolving beaters29-30. The drum 2 at the rear end of the machine, and around which thematerial passes after being pulled through the scrapers 3231, is fixedto the shaft of these rear sprockets 2 and travels with the shaft, butit is preferably of a little larger diameter than the diameter of thesprockets, so that its periphery travels a little faster than the clampbar does which holds the material. The result is that the frictioncaused by the slipping of this drum underneath the material tends topull on the material and relieve the clamp bars and chain of some oftheir strain. The other drum at the feed end of the machine may bestationary.

Having thus' described my invention,

what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Afiber-cleaning machine comprising an endless carrier, means for holdingthe ends of fibrous material to be treated on said carrier, a rotarybeater in the path of the material carried, a presser-footcoacting withthe beater to hold the material in contact therewith, means operated bysaid fiber-holding means to lift the presser-foot to allow said holdingmeans to pass, and a locking device for holding the presser-foot down,said locking device operable by said holding means to move said lockingdevice from looking position.

2. A fiber-cleaning machine comprising an endless carrier, fiber-holdingmeans on the carrier, a rotary beater, a coacting presserfoot, saidpresser-foot carried by a springactuated sliding stem, and a bell-cranklever having one arm connected with the stem, and the other armdepending into the path of said fiber-holding means.

3. A fiber-cleaning machine comprising an endless carrier, fiber-holdingmeans on the carrier, a rotary beater, a coacting pressenfoot, saidpresser-foot carried by a spring-actuated sliding stem, a bell-cranklever having one arm connected with the stem, and the other armdepending into the path of said fiber-holding means, and a pivotedlocking member movable into and out of the path of thepresser andconnected with the bell-crank lever and operable in unison therewith.

4. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination of an endless carriercomprising spaced parallel chains, fiber-holding meansremovablysupported on the chains, a beater over which the fiber iscarried and means for spreading the chains to release said fiber-holdingmeans.

5. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination of an endless carriercomprising spaced parallel chains, fiber-holding means removablysupported on the chains, a beater over which the fiber is carried andwedge members for spreading the chains to release said fiber-holdingmeans.

6. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination of a pair of spacedparallel endless chains having hooks thereon, clamping bars with theirends engageable with the hooks, a beater and a cooperating presser inthe path of said clamp bars, means operated by the clamp bars forraising'the presser to allow the bars to pass, and means for auto?matically disengaging said clamp bars from the said hooks.

7. In a fiber-cleaning machine, the combination of a pair of spacedparallel endless chains having hooks thereon, clamp bars with their endsengageable with the hooks, a heater and a cooperating presser in thepath of said clamp bars, means operated by the clamp bars for raisingthe presser to allow the bars to pass, and means for automaticallydisengaging said clamp bars from the said hooks, said last-named meansin- 10 eluding means for spreading the chains.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL G. MGLANE. Witnesses:

CHARLES EDELMAN,

C. C. COOK.

